1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle charging system and a vehicle charging method, and more particularly, to a vehicle charging system and a vehicle charging method for charging a drive battery of a vehicle which is capable of being charged from outside of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been developed an electric vehicle and a hybrid vehicle as environmentally-friendly vehicles. Such vehicles are provided with a drive battery and a running motor, and run on the running motor with the use of power from the drive battery. Therefore, it is necessary to charge the drive battery. The drive battery can be charged by receiving power from an external power source such as a commercial power source.
When charging is performed, a control power source circuit (control section) controls a drive battery charging device. Therefore, supply of power to the control power source circuit is necessary.
JP 2008-149897 A discloses a charging system for a vehicle, which performs supply of power to a control power source circuit with the use of power from an auxiliary battery and power from a drive battery.
In the charging system for a vehicle described in JP 2008-149897 A, when power cannot be supplied from both of the auxiliary battery and the drive battery, the supply of power to the control power source circuit is cut off. Thus, the drive battery charging device cannot operate. As a result, the drive battery cannot be charged.